Pope Leo XIV to be the first pope to join a boat procession on Lake Albano

Pope Leo XIV will become the first pope to take part in a procession on Lake Albano, in the hills southeast of Rome. The celebration will take place on Saturday, August 29, at 6 p.m. in Castel Gandolfo, where the pope will preside at Mass in the church of Maria Santissima del Lago, consecrated by St. Paul VI on August 15, 1977.

Part of the procession will take place on the water, with about 10 boats accompanying the pope and the image of the Virgin. Lake Albano has been the site of the popes' summer residence for the past 400 years.

How the celebration will unfold

After Mass, the pope and the faithful will carry the image of Our Lady of the Lake in procession from the small church, which belongs to the pontifical parish of St. Thomas of Villanova, to the Tropicana establishment. The image will then be placed on a boat provided by the body that manages the Castelli Romani Park, and the pope will join the crossing to Giorgio's Beach, at the foot of the Apostolic Palace.

Father Adriano Gibellini, liturgical director and head of papal celebrations for the Diocese of Albano, said that although some of the faithful traditionally take part in the procession by swimming, that will not be possible this year for safety reasons.

History and meaning of the feast

The feast of Our Lady of the Lake is popular with the community of Castel Gandolfo, though it is relatively recent. It was established during the Marian Year of 1954 by the pastor at the time, Father Dino Sella, to involve all the faithful who worked around the lake.

St. John Paul II visited the church of Maria Santissima del Lago in 1979. Both popes took part in the procession, but neither took part in the stretch on the water.

A local invitation

The mayor of Castel Gandolfo, Alberto De Angelis, first invited Pope Leo XIV to the Mass a year ago, working with Father Tadeusz Rozmus, pastor of St. Thomas of Villanova. Residents have welcomed the plan and thanked the pope for putting Castel Gandolfo "at the center of the world" and for joining a parish event they hold dear.

Rozmus said the pope's presence at the celebration reflects an appreciation of the gift of creation, and he noted the beauty of the lake and the mountains around it. The procession will last about 25 minutes, after which the pope will return to the Apostolic Palace.

The feast continues

The celebrations will continue on Sunday, August 30, with a Mass in the church of Our Lady of the Lake for the motorcyclists who ride the roads of the Castelli Romani over the weekend. A group of them will take part in the Angelus led by Leo XIV.